Sustainable Fairfax - Greywater supporters act now!

EDUCATION - ACTIVISM - CONSERVATION

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Greywater supporters act now!

Dear Greywater Supporters,

Good news!

The second draft to the new state code is much more greywater friendly than before!

However, it still needs to get better!

Highlights of the new draft: (if it stays this way)

1. Washing machines are exempt from permits for residential use as long as
they follow specified guidelines.

2. Mulch basins are a legal way to infiltrate greywater (before gravel was
specified that is mined from river beds- mulch is wood chips and can be
sustainably generated locally)

3. "Simple systems" are defined in the new code and there is language that
could lead to local interpretation of exempting these systems from a
permit. We still urge HCD to go further and exempt "simple systems" from
permitting.

Please note: This is still a draft, and the code writers could make it
either better or worse, so please write them to encourage an even more
friendly code.

**If you want to be updated regularly about the code process in CA you can
sign up to be on a list serve at graywater.org

Please take a moment and send a thank you note to Jim Rowland, the
spokesperson for the code rewrite, about the updated draft code.
( This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or (916) 327-3809.)

Sample letter:

Dear Jim Rowland,

Thank you for your work on the new California greywater code. I am so
happy to see that the second draft of the code has made residential
washing machines exempt from permits and has separated "simple" systems of
under 250 gallons per day from the more complex systems. Your efforts will
have huge impacts helping to support greywater as a water conservation
strategy and keep California green during this time of drought. I urge
you to continue to edit this new code so that greywater can be a viable
conservation strategy for California. I also urge you to exempt "simple
systems" from permits as long as they follow basic health and safety
guidelines.

Sincerely,

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